Vehicle body construction



Oct. 27, 1931. G. K. LEWIS 1,829,527

VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l G. K. LEwxs 1,829,527

VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 27, 1931.

Patented Oct. A27, 1931 UNITED STATES PA'TIEN'I OFFICE GEORGE K. LEWISOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MET-L-WOOD. CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COIRCPOZBJATIOT31'. 0F ILLINOIS VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Application led April 16,

This invention relates to vehicle body con structions.

An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle body construction 'composed of laminated panels, each. including a fibrous body and exterior sheet steel veneer, and wherein a plurality of said panels are fabricated in a novel manner to provide the maximum of strength and attractiveness in appearance.

A more particular object ofthe invention is to provide a vehicle body of the character referred to, wherein the meeting edges of the panels which are utilized to forni the body, l5 are secured' together by the employment of fabricating means, including securing elements and a cover strip or molding, and wherein the molding` seives to conceal the securing elements and is itselfA held in position to reinforce the structure .bythe securing elements.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the, description and claims hereinafter following,

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this speciiicatiom Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vehicle body embodyingmyinvention. Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a vehicle body embodying the invention, a

part of the body being broken away. Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the vehicle body corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 4. Figure 4 is a broken side elevational view of one side .por tion of the vehicle body. Figure 5 is a fragmentary top-plan view of the top wall or roof portion of the vehicle body. Figure 6 is a transverse, vertical, sectional-view-of the roof of the vehicle body corresponding substane tially to the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and showing the manner of fabricating .separate portions y of the roof structure. Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a fragment of a vehicle body showing a modiied form of means which are utilized for fabricating the side and top walls of the vehicle. Figure 8 is a transverse,

` vertical, sectional View corresponding substantially to line 8 8 of Figure 7 and showing-indotted lines the position of the roof other.

1928. Serial. N0. 270,221.

panel before it is moved at an angle with reference to the side portion thereof.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings',- theV vehiclef body is shown as including upper longitudinally extending frame members 1010 and lower longitudinally extending frame members 11--11 as shown in detail in Figure 3. The upper frame members 10 are connected at their ends by cross pieces 12-12, which are somewhat curved, as shown in Figure 3, to impart a curved contour'to the roof of the vehicle body transversely thereof. Each of the side framemembers 10 is rounded off at the top as indicated at 13, and at its inner side is provided with a row of separate sockets indicated at 14, the row of soclretsextending along the frame member 10 on the inner side thereofsubstantially from one end to the The outer surface of each frame member l0 provided with a rabbeted portion 15 which extends longitudinally'of the frame member 10, the upper defining wall of which is indicated at 16. Transversely eX- tending bores `17 extend centrally from each socket 14 outwardly through the frame membei-'10 and'tcrniinate in the rabbeted portion15, the upper defining wall of each bore cndingiiushwith the wall of the rabbeted portion15. Each lower frame member 11 is also provided with a row of separate sockets, indicated at 18, which communicate with bores 19 extending transversely through the frame member 11.

The roongor top wall of the vehicle bodyV is madev up, ofa pair of panels designatedby thenumerals 20-21, each of the panels exe tending longitudinally with reference to the body, and being secured together centrally by fabricating means of a novel character. Each of the panels 2,()4 and 21 is made up of laminated ply wood and steel, the ply wood indicated at 22, providing' the main body portion forthe panel, while the outer sur-v face thereof has a sheet steel veneer 23 rigidly afxed thereto, preferably by employment of the process disclosed in Burnettreissue Patent No. 14,349, dated September 11, 1917. Adjacent the inner edge of the panel 20, the main body portion 22 of ply wood is cut out as indicated at 24, permitting a marginal portion ofthe panel to be disposed substantially at right angles to the remainder thereof, the angular portion being designated by thefreferencecharacter25, it being understood that the steel vsheet v23 mayy be bent substantially into right angular form s and Y the body portion permitted to assume the desired position Lhrough provisionl ofthe cutout portion 24.- The panel 21 is arranged 1n tliefsaine manner as the panel andthe -The cover strip ory molding, indicated same reference characters will be utilized to designate similar parts of the two panels, it being noted that the angular portions'25 of the panels 20 and 2l are disposed in abutting relation. In order to secure the angular portionsy 25-125 nof thepanels in the desired position', fan-@inverted LChannel-shaped re-inforcing element 26 isutilizved, which is adaptedtoV receive the two angular portions 275-25 ofthe panels'ftherein', the legs ofthel panel formation being provided lwith flanges 27 27 which abut the VundersurfacesV of the main body portionsof the panels 2O and r2l, as best shown yin Figure 6. The structure comprising the angular portions 25-25 and the panel reinforcing member 26, are provided vwith bores at' intervals along the length of ther construction', as indicated at 28, each bore being'adapted-for the reception of a retaining bolt 29, the shankV of which extends through the web 3() of vthechannel member Vand has'itsv end threaded for the reception of V'a securing nut 3l. The opposite end of the shank 29 isfprovide'd` with a head 32 adapted to bear against a combined rein-vl forcing cover stripor molding 4which will .of bolts and .the-moldingstrip moved longitudinally with reference tothe bolts as permittedvby the-slot 35 therein.` When-'the Y molding stripi'is in position,the nuts 3lof i' the bolts 29 fare' tightened, therebysecuring i y different embodimentk of Ltli'e Y invention is:

the moldingstripYin.V place, concealing the -bolt-heads 32, and serving to hold the molding strip in such maner ast-o provide a longitudinal reinforcing brace for the top of the vehicle body. If desired, vsome water-proof-V ing compound may be let into the joint so as to more securely'seal the same The side walls of the vehicle body are also composed of lainiiiatedpanels made up of ply Wood indicated at. 36, with an outer veneer of slieetsteel as'indicated at 37 the panels being ofthe lsaine character 'as those which tlie bores 19 in" the member ll.

forni the top walloi'" roofing" the vehicle 1body. As best'shewn in Figure 3, the side panel-.has its upper edge fitting into the rabbetted portion: l5, A.and saidedge isjprovided with .aY plurality of arcuatenotches 38 adaptr veclto coincide-in Apositionwith the bores 17 outer surface of the lowerframe. member 1l.v i and the panel is'provided with a row of apertures39 whichare adapted to register with The steel; veneer 23 upon thepanel 2O is extended from:

the edge thereof and bent at an'angl'e so astof lie against thel out-er surface. of the upper' portion of the frame'meniber l0', the extension being indicated vbythe reference character 4:0. The lower edge ofthe extension 40 lies flush with the top delining wall 16 of Vvthe l iabbeted portion l5. Retainingbolts 4l are u utilized for seciiringboth the extension 4G, and the upper edge of theside panel in position, said bolts extendingtlirough the bore 17 and having their inner ends projecting into the sockets lll. .The inner ends'of the bolts are threaded lfor the reception of Sez curing nuts as ,indicatedV at v42, 'whichA lieV withinfthe related sockets/lll, there prefere ably beingfa washer LL31interposed. between the nut @and the bottom vof: thesocket 14hV The opposite ends'of the bolts 4l are provided with heads eladaptedto cooperate with-the `cover str-in; and strengthening memberfindicated at'l-. .The cov-er strip liisof a char-.QY

acter similar-tothe stripV 33 heretofore cle- '35, scribed, having inturnedl flanges i6-416 clefining a slot through which the stems of theA bolts may slide during the time the flanges;

G-dGare beingl disposed lbeneath the headsv v -l of the bolts/il, it'being noted that the stems .l n, of the bolts fit in suitable notches of the upper m f edge of the side panel. Bolts 47 are piovid'edj which' extendv through the bores 19 in the, frame member 1l, in the same maiinervas theboltsv all, there being areinforcing molding strip 48 of the same character as the strip 45", i

which conceals the heads ofthe boltsf47, in i thisinstance, the stems kof the bolts passing 'through the'apertures 39` in the's'ide-panel. The construction at the opposite side of the Vvehicle body-'is the saine as-that just above described. e Y l Referring to Figures 7 and 8,' a somewhat disclosedf lIn this construction, vthe side wall comprises a plain panel'l 50,.having a steel veneer -l theieon.. The top panel v52 is pro. vided Viwith a steel veneer k53, the body tportion of ihe panelbeing cut out as indicajted;` atl 54 to permit bending --of `the veneer*y to provide the angularV portion 55 which yfits-over theoutside of the topV por-A tion `of, the side.wall'jO,.asV best shown in of the side panel and the angular portion 55 of the top panel, each bolt being provided with a securing nut 57. The heads of the bolts are disposed within a cover strip 58 provided with flanges 59-59 which fit benea-h the heads of the bolts 56, and when the nuts 57 are tightened, the cover strip 58 conceals the heads of the bolts and provides a reinforcing element extending longitudinally of the body. Y

By the abo-ve described arrangement, it will be appreciated that a vehicle body is provided made up of laminated panels which are secured at their meeting edges by means of reinforcing structures, wherein the oints are braced and the molding strips which are utilized in such manner as to assist in bracing the joints, serve also to conceal the bolt heads, and provide a neat and attractive arrangement.

Nhile I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim 1. In a side wall structure for a vehicle body, comprising upper and lower frame members, the upper of said frame members being rabbeted; of a laminated panel having a marginal portion disposed within the rabbeted portion of said upper frame member and adapted tok lie against the lower frame member; securing elements extending through said frame members and serving to clamp said panel thereto; exterior exposed reinforcing strips held in position by said securing members and serving to conceal portions thereof and to reinforce the structure, and a top wall having a metal sheathing overlapping said frame adjacent said rabbeted portion and secured by said securing means.

2. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a side wall and top wall of a vehicle body structure; of a frame member adapted to support said top and side wall, said top wall including a laminated panel having an exterior steel veneer overlapping said frame member, said frame member being provided with a rabbeted portion; a laminated side panel having a marginal portion disposed in said rabbeted portion with its exterior face substantially flush with said overlapping steel veneer; and securing elements extending through said frame member and having means for simultaneously clamping the veneer of the top panel and the side panel against said frame member.

3. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a side wall and top wall of a vehicle body structure; of a frame member adapted to support said top and side wall, said top wall including a laminated panel having a steel veneer overlapping said frame member, said frame member being provided with a rabbeted portion; a side panel having a marginal portion disposed in said rabbeted portion; securing elements having means for simultaneously securing the veneer of the top panel and the side panel to said frame member; and a reinforcing strip secured in position by said securing elements and adapted to bear upon the adjacent edges of said veneer and said side panel.

4. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a vehicle body; of a roof for said body composed of a plurality of panels disposed in the same plane and having edge portions turned at an angle and disposed with their faces in abutting relation; of a channel member fitting about said turned edge portions with its legs bearing against the inner side of said panels; securing elements freely extending through and parallel with said annular portions and said channel member; and a reinforcing element secured by said securing elements in position to bear upon said panels at the outer sides thereof, said securing element simultaneously and uniformly clamping said angular portions, said reinforcing elements and said channel member together.

5. In a structure of the character described, the combination with two members disposed in abutting relation; of a plurality of fastening bolts extending freely through 1 said members and having heads bearing upon the outer surfaces of said members, said bolts being freely adjustable to permit the same to be drawn tightly together; and a molding strip having a -continuously closed hollow body portion enclosing the clamping elements at one side of said members, said molding being provided with flat extensions interposed between the heads of the adjacent clamping bolts and adjacent surface of said members, whereby said molding strip and said members are clamped with a uniform pressure when said clamping elements are arranged in clamping position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of March, 1928.

GEORGE K. LEWIS. 

